Robber gives new meaning to the words ‘drive-thru’

WASHINGTON – The summertime rush hour for the D.C. area was relatively uneventful Tuesday morning.

But, as my mom would say, “It’s always something.”

Early morning in Prince George’s County at the Capital Plaza Mall will justify that sentiment.

It was just a little after 5 a.m. when the scanners in the WTOP Traffic blew up with the report of a car into a store at Capital Plaza Mall and a fire. We sent the WTOP mobile unit to the scene in preparation for what would probably cause big problems on Route 450/Annapolis Road just to the east of the Baltimore-Washington Parkway.

Once arriving, our mobile reporter Finn Neilsen called back to the Traffic Center reporting that a SUV went through the side of a McDonald’s restaurant. No, the driver wasn’t ordering breakfast. With a large response and lots of hoopla, things sifted out relatively quickly.

As Jack Taylor stated on air, “the roadway is unaffected but you will have to make alternate breakfast plans.” However, as of 9:45 a.m., the Prince George’s County Police investigating officers were still on the scene.

A police spokesperson told WTOP that there was a carjacking and a report of a vehicle into the McDonald’s within minutes of one another. Police say the preliminary investigation indicated the carjacking victim was at the intersection of Route 450 and 71st Avenue when the suspect asked for a ride.

When the driver declined, police say the suspect revealed a weapon. The victim then jumped out of the SUV and the robber drove away on Annapolis Road and hit a minivan. The driver of the minivan followed the SUV which subsequently crashed into the McDonald’s drive-thru.

Nobody was in the store at the time, no McMuffins harmed and Prince George’s Police have the robber in custody.